The Town FilesElbow Lake, Minnesota
City in Grant County · population 1,276 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $126,900
- Household income
- $59,792
- Jan low / Jul high
- 0° / 81°
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 37.6
Elbow Lake is a city of 1,276 people in Grant County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $126,900, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for a vacation home than 94% of Minnesota towns, better for retirees than 85% of Minnesota towns, hipper than 77% of Minnesota towns.
How Elbow Lake ranks
Percentile among Minnesota towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Minnesota towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Elbow Lake is worth $126,900, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $59,792, which is more affordable than 92% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $742 a month. 68.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Elbow Lake | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $126,900 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $742 | $991 |
| Median household income | $59,792 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 68.7% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1958 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.9% | — |
Who lives in Elbow Lake
| People | Elbow Lake | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.6 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.6% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 27.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.1% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.3% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.3% | — |
| Work from home | 7.4% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 22.5 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.2% | 90.2% |
Weather in Elbow Lake
July highs average 80.8°F and January lows -0.4°F. About 26.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 174 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Elbow Lake since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on July 8, 2020 about 9.1 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 2 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 30, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 32 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 12, 2015.
Severe weather in Grant County since 1996
Grant County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 19, 2023 | Flood | DR-4722: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| August 9, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4666: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| July 8, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4658: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Grant County
Grant County had 1,920 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,396 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Elbow Lake itself the ACS puts it at 4.9%.
Public schools in Elbow Lake
1 public school with 156 students, about 9.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| WEST CENTRAL AREA N. EL. | PK-4 | 156 | 9.2 |
Towns near Elbow Lake
- Evansville, MN14.0 mi · 603 people · home $133,000
- Hoffman, MN14.1 mi · 698 people · home $161,800
- Dane Prairie, MN17.2 mi · 883 people · home $375,200
- Brandon, MN18.5 mi · 501 people · home $175,800
- Tordenskjold, MN18.7 mi · 527 people · home $291,200
- Brandon, MN19.1 mi · 763 people · home $353,700
- Fergus Falls, MN20.9 mi · 14,119 people · home $194,000
- Moe, MN21.4 mi · 763 people · home $419,200
Elbow Lake questions
Is Elbow Lake, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Elbow Lake scores better for retirees than 85% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 65%. 16.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.6).
How much does a house cost in Elbow Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Elbow Lake is valued at $126,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,792, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $742 a month.
What is the weather like in Elbow Lake?
July highs average 80.8°F and January lows -0.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 26.9 inches of precipitation a year.
Does Elbow Lake get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Elbow Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on July 8, 2020. The typical Minnesota town has had 14.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)